Vessel for an airmixer or the like

ABSTRACT

A vessel for treating a material by fluidising the same in the vessel of an adequate device, the circumferential wall of the vessel consisting of two parts situated one above the other, that of the lower part being inferior to that of the upper part, means for moving up and down the lower part, a portion of the lower part continuously overlapping the lower end of the upper part, whereas a holder is arranged for accommodating an expansible member at the lower end of the upper part.

United States Patent Roest et al.

[4 1 July 29, 1975 VESSEL FOR AN AIRMIXER OR THE LIKE inventors: Robert Jacques Roest, Aerdenhout;

Pieter van Ruitenburg, Uithoorn, both of Netherlands Air Process AG, Altdorf, Switzerland Filed: Apr. 30, 1974 Appl. No.: 465,628

Assignee:

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data May 4, 1973 Netherlands 7306293 US. Cl 34/57 A; 34/242; 432/58 Int. Cl. F26B 17/00; F27B 15/00 Field of Search 432/14, 15, 58; 34/57 A,

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3/1961 Duff 34/242 X 3,411,763 11/1968 Blackman et al. 34/242 X 3,421,345 l/l969 Schiffer et a1. 34/242 X 3,818,605 6/1974 Glatt 34/57 A Primary Examiner.lohn .l. Camby Attorney, Agent, or FirmHaseltine, Lake & Waters 2 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures SHEET PATENTEB JUL 2 9 I975 1 VESSEL FOR AN AIRMIXER OR THE LIKE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The invention relates to a vessel for a device for treating a substance which, by means of a gas blown from below into the vessel, e.g. air, is fluidized, while the vessel is provided with a porous member disposed over the bottom, e.g. a perforated plate, and the space in the vessel between the bottom and the porous member serves to supply the gas to be blown into the vessel.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION.-

The invention aims to provide a device of the kind described hereinbefore inwhich the porous member disposed in the vessel, together with all constructive provisions possibly disposed in the porous bottom, f.i. injector pipes for the gas, can be cleaned adequately and easily, and also repairs can be carried out. According to the invention a circumferential wall situated above the porous member consists of two parts, the cross section of the lower part being inferior to that of the upper part. Means are also provided for moving up and down the lower part, a portion of the lower part continuously overlapping the lower end of the upper part, whereas a holder is arranged for accommodating an exoansible member, f.i. an inflatable tyre, at the lower end of the upper part so that the expansible member constitutes in an expanded condition a gastight closure between the portions of the two circumferential wall parts that are situated above the porous member, one portion overlapping the other.

The effect is as follows: In the lowest position which the movable lower circumferential wall part may assume over the porous member, the lower part adjoins the porous member, simultaneously f.i. the inflated tyre in the position ensuring the air-tight closure between the circumferential wall parts of the vessel situated above the porous member. In a higher or the highest possible position of the lower circumferential wall part the porous member is easily accessible.

In order to facilitate the movements of the lower circumferential wall part the inflated tyre can be temporarily entirely or partially deflated. To prevent in the operative position of the device a granular material, that is to be treated and introduced into the vessel, from penetrating into the space between the two circumferential wall parts above the porous member, the invention provides an optional flexible flap on the upper edge of the lower circumferential wall part above the porous member, the flexible flap consisting of an elastic material, whereas a lip-shaped end portion of the flap, turned away from the upper edge of the circumferential wall part, is directed outwards.

Preferably there is provided in a wall of the holder an opening for introducing into the holder the expansible member, f.i. the inflatable tyre, in a non-inflated conditlon.

SURVEY OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 shows diagrammatically a front view of a device provided with the vessel according to the invention; and

FIGS. 2 and 3, respectively, show on a larger scale a section through a part of the circumferential wall of the vessel above the porous member at the location of the overlapping portions of the two circumferential wall 7 parts in the uppermost and lowermost position, respectively, of the lower circumferential wall part with respect to the upper circumferential wall part.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The device consists essentially of a vessel 1 having a bottom wall 2' and a circumferential wall consisting itself of a wall part 3 situated between the bottom wall 2 and a plate 4 spaced up from the bottom wall 2, a wall part 5 having a lower flange edge 6 and a wall part 7 conically widening in an upward direction and ending in a cylindrical part 8.

The complete structure bears on four columns 10, three of them being visible in the figure. The bottom wall 2 is supported by strut members 11 disposed on the columns 10. A hollow space 12 enclosed by the bottom wall 2, the circumferential wall part 3 and the plate 4 are connected to an apparatus for supplying a gas f.i. compressed air. The plate 4 is perforated for the part surrounded by the flange edge 6 of the wall part5 when the wall part 5 bears on the plate 4.

Both circumferential wall parts 5 and 7 of the vessel 1 are situated above the partially perforated plate 4, the cross section of the upper circumferential wall part 7 at its lower end being superior to the cross section of the lower circumferential wall part 5 (see FIGS. 2 and 3). The lower circumferential wall part 5 is movable up and downward by means of four hydraulic cylinders 13, each of them connected to one of the columns 10, whereas a corresponding piston rod 14 is connected via a strap 15 with the circumferential wall part 5.

At the lower end of the upper circumferential wall 7 is disposed a holder 16 provided with an opening 17. An inflatable tyre 18 is accommodated in the holder 16, the tyre 18 introduced into the holder 16 in a noninflated condition through the opening 17 provided in the wall of a holder 16.

At the upper end of the circumferential wall part 5 is disposed a flexible flap 19 of an elastic material, the lip-shaped end portion 20 of the flap in respect of the circumferential wall part 5 being turned outwards.

The required constructive means, if any, arranged in the bottom wall 2 and the plate 4, like f.i. injector pipes, are not shown for the sake of simplicity, moreover that means is beyond the scope of the invention.

In the normal operative position of the device the circumferential wall part 5 is moved into its upper-lowest position, in which the flange edge 6 is pressed onto the plate 4, the perforated part of the plate 4 communicating with the hollow space in the vessel 1 situated above the plate 4. In that position of the circumferential wall part 5 the lip 20 of the flap 19 is firmly pressed against the circumferential wall part 7 (see FIG. 3), thus avoiding that parts of the material to be treated land in the space between the overlapping portions of the circumferential wall parts 5 and 7, respectively. The tyre 18 inflated in the operative position in the holder 16 consitutes a gas-tight closure between the two circumferential wall parts 5 and 7.

When the porous member 4 has to be cleaned, or repairs should be done, the inflated tyre 18 is deflated, whereupon the circumferential wall part5 is moved upwards by means of the hydraulic cylinders 13, assuming ultimately a position diagrammatically represented in the right-hand part of FIG. 1 (see also FIG. 2). The porous member is then easily accessible.

Within the scope of the invention constructive details may have a different shape.

What we claim is:

1. A vessel for a device for treating a substance which is fluidized by means of a gas blown from below into the vessel, such as air; the vessel comprising a porous member disposed over the bottom, such as a perforated plate; a space in the vessel between said bottom and said porous member serving to supply the gas to be blown into the vessel; a circumferential wall situated above said porous member and consisting of two parts, the cross-section of the lower part being inferior to that of the upper part, means for moving up and down said lower part; a portion of the latter continuously overlapping the lower end of said upper part; and a holder for I accommodating an expansible member, such as an inflatable tire, arranged at said lower end of the upper part, so that said expansible member consitutes in an expanded condition a gas-tight closure between portions of at least one of the two wall parts; as well as a flexible flap arranged on the upper edge of said lower wall part above said porous member, said flap consisting of an elastic material, whereas a lip-shaped end portion of said flap, turned away from said upper edge, is outwardly directed.

2. A vessel for a device for treating a substance which is fluidized by means of a gas blown from below into the vessel, such as air; the vessel comprising a porous member disposed over the bottom, such as a perforated plate; a space in the vessel between said bottom and said porous member serving to supply the gas to be blown into the vessel; a circumferential wall situated above said porous member and consisting of two parts, the cross-section of the lower part being inferior to that of the upper part; means for moving up and down said lower part; a portion of the latter continuously overlapping the lower end of said upper part; and a holder for accommodating an expansible member, such as an inflatable tire, arranged at said lower end of the upper part, so that said expansible member constitutes in an expanded condition a gas-tight closure between portions of at least one of the two wall parts; wherein an opening is provided in a wall of said holder to introduce thereinto said expansible member in a non-expanded condition. 

1. A vessel for a device for treating a substance which is fluidized by means of a gas blown from below into the vessel, such as air; the vessel comprising a porous member disposed over the bottom, such as a perforated plate; a space in the vEssel between said bottom and said porous member serving to supply the gas to be blown into the vessel; a circumferential wall situated above said porous member and consisting of two parts, the crosssection of the lower part being inferior to that of the upper part, means for moving up and down said lower part; a portion of the latter continuously overlapping the lower end of said upper part; and a holder for accommodating an expansible member, such as an inflatable tire, arranged at said lower end of the upper part, so that said expansible member consitutes in an expanded condition a gas-tight closure between portions of at least one of the two wall parts; as well as a flexible flap arranged on the upper edge of said lower wall part above said porous member, said flap consisting of an elastic material, whereas a lip-shaped end portion of said flap, turned away from said upper edge, is outwardly directed.
 2. A vessel for a device for treating a substance which is fluidized by means of a gas blown from below into the vessel, such as air; the vessel comprising a porous member disposed over the bottom, such as a perforated plate; a space in the vessel between said bottom and said porous member serving to supply the gas to be blown into the vessel; a circumferential wall situated above said porous member and consisting of two parts, the cross-section of the lower part being inferior to that of the upper part; means for moving up and down said lower part; a portion of the latter continuously overlapping the lower end of said upper part; and a holder for accommodating an expansible member, such as an inflatable tire, arranged at said lower end of the upper part, so that said expansible member constitutes in an expanded condition a gas-tight closure between portions of at least one of the two wall parts; wherein an opening is provided in a wall of said holder to introduce thereinto said expansible member in a non-expanded condition. 